Major Hell's Kitchen Water, Sewer, Street Project Holds Ribbon Cutting

HELL'S KITCHEN, NY — A major project bringing new sidewalks, bike lanes, roads, water pipes and upgraded sewers to Ninth Avenue between West 50th to West 59th Streets celebrated its completion today, over a decade since it began.

A multi-agency effort took advantage of major work replacing 14 miles of new water mains and sewers along Ninth Avenue that started in 2012 to also envision a full street redesign, adding 11 feet for pedestrians.

“This massive undertaking is much more than meets the eye and installed 48-inch steel trunk mains through some of the most crowded parts of Manhattan while connecting neighborhoods to DEP’s new Third Water Tunnel,” said NYC Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Thomas Foley. “DDC’s In-House Design Team did a remarkable job here so that water supply improvements and street redesign could come together in one comprehensive rebuild of the area’s infrastructure.”

During the project, DDC and the Department of Environmental Protection installed 18,000 feet of large steel trunk water mains and 51,000 feet of regular ductile iron water mains. While the streets were open, 5,000 feet of sewers along with catch basins were replaced.

"The Ninth Avenue water main project has been going on longer than many New Yorkers can remember. Upgrading our infrastructure is vital but the construction can be tough on the community, especially small businesses,” said Council Member Erik Bottcher. “With this new project complete, we can be assured that the West Side's city water infrastructure is secure for decades to come. We also now have a newly designed Ninth Avenue that will be safer for pedestrians and cyclists."

When the water and sewer work wrapped up, which included new connections to the city's Third Water Tunnel, the Department of Transportation decided to initiate a full roadway reconstruction and street redesign. During that phase of the project, 650,000 square feet of roadway, along with curbs and sidewalks were reconstructed, according to officials.

That project, officials said, has brought a slew of benefits to the area like expanded sidewalks (called "Super Sidewalks") to reduce pedestrian congestion and make avenue crossings easier, updated intersection treatments for cyclists and new commercial loading zones.

A section of Ninth Avenue became the city's first on-street protected bike lane in 2007.

“Today’s opening of the new “super sidewalk” with additional traffic calming measures along Ninth Avenue brings us closer to achieving a Vision Zero future in New York, said Rep. Jerrold Nadler. “When we reconfigure our streets to prioritize safety over speed, we can save lives while making our pedestrian spaces more welcoming for residents and visitors alike."

The city is also working on similar upgrades on Ninth Avenue between West 30th to West 34th Streets. A protected bike lane — plus other upgrades — on 10th Avenue between West 14th and West 52nd Streets will also begin this year, officials said.

According to a February letter from Community Board Four, the new Ninth Avenue sidewalk is already a hit with pedestrians, and members are asking for a similar treatment for Ninth Avenue between West 34th and West 51st Streets.

"Ninth Avenue sidewalks should be 20-ft wide," the Feb. 13 letter to the DOT reads. "However, the sidewalks have been shrunk to a total of 12-ft," a size they call "woefully inadequate."

"There were 261 injuries in the last five years on this stretch of Ninth Avenue," the letter points out, and asks that the city can bring a "high priority" on the next stage of the project.